Meaning & use
Barbule
Last updated
A tiny hook-bearing filament branching off the barbs of a bird's feather, helping the feather hold its shape and interlock smoothly.
See it in a sentence
Under magnification, each barbule reveals rows of microscopic hooks that zip neighboring barbs together.
Preening helps birds realign barbules that have come apart after flight.
A note on using this word
Barbules are what allow a bird's feather to "zip" itself back together after being ruffled, much like tiny natural Velcro.
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